About Product Images

This image is a general representation of the item and the actual product may differ slightly in terms of color shading, logo placement, borders, or other small details. Used items may have various cosmetic differences as well.

Tales Of Mozambique (with bonus tracks & download)

Adding To Your Existing Order

Customers who are signed in and have open orders may add items to their order for combine shipping and faster checkout.
This reserves the item sooner, securing your place in line — which is great when ordering hard-to-find items!

We realize that there are many different interpretations of the standard grades used
for pre-owned vinyl record albums & CD, so we thought we'd offer you the ones that we are working with,
so you have an idea what we mean when we give the grade for a non-new item on our pages.

Used Vinyl Grades

Below are stated conditions for a used vinyl records at Dusty Groove. Grading for
the cover should be assumed to be near (within a "+" or "-")
the grading for the vinyl.
If there is significant divergence from the condition of the vinyl, or specific flaws,
these will be noted in the comments section of the item. However, please be aware that
since the emphasis of this site is towards the music listener, our main concern is with
the vinyl of any used item we sell. Additionally, all of our records
are graded visually; considering the volume of used vinyl we handle, it is impossible
for us to listen to each record. If we spot any significant flaws, we make every attempt
to listen through them and note how they play.

The following grading conditions apply to the vinyl component of an album or single:

Sealed

This is what it says, that the record is still held fast in shrink-wrap.
We tend to be pretty suspicious about these things, so if the shrink-wrap doesn't
look original, or if the record seems to have undergone some damage over time,
we'll probably take it out of the wrapper to ensure that it's in good shape —
which is why we don't have more of these. In some cases the shrink-wrap may be
torn in spots, but if it's not possible the record has been taken out and played,
the record will still qualify as "Sealed".

Near Mint

Dusty Groove does not use the grades of Near Mint
(or Mint, for that matter) because in our experience, we find that no records
ever qualify for such a high grade. Even sealed records tend to have one or two
slight faults, enough to usually qualify them for a grade of NM- or lower. We've
often found that records which are clearly unplayed will have a slight amount of
surface noise, especially in quieter recordings.

Near Mint - (minus)

Black vinyl that may show a slight amount of dust or dirt.

Should still be very shiny under a light, even with slight amount of dust on surface.

One or two small marks that would make an otherwise near perfect record slightly less so.
These marks cannot be too deep, and should only be surface marks that won't affect play,
but might detract from the looks.

May have some flaws and discoloration in the vinyl, but only those that would be
intrinsic to the pressing. These should disappear when the record is tilted under
the light, and will only show up when looking straight at the record.
(Buddah and ABC pressings from the 70's are a good example of this.)

May have some slight marks from aging of the paper sleeve on the vinyl.

Possible minor surface noise when played.

Very Good + (plus)

Vinyl should be very clean, but can have less luster than near mint.

Should still shine under a light, but one or two marks may show up when tilted.

Can have a few small marks that may show up easily, but which do not affect play at all. Most marks of this quality will disappear when the record is tilted, and will not be felt with the back of a fingernail.

This is the kind of record that will play "near mint", but which will have
some signs of use (although not major ones).

May have slight surface noise when played.

Very Good

Vinyl can have some dirt, but nothing major.

May not shine under light, but should still be pretty clean,
and not too dirty.

May have a number of marks (5 to 10 at most), and obvious signs of play,
but never a big cluster of them, or any major mark that would be very deep.
Most marks should still not click under a fingernail.

May not look near perfect, but should play fairly well,
with slight surface noise, and the occasional click in part of a song,
but never throughout a whole song or more.

This is clearly a copy that was played by someone a number of times,
but which could also be a good "play copy" for someone new.

Very Good - (minus)

Vinyl may be dirty, and can lack a fair amount of luster.

Vinyl can have a number of marks, either in clusters or smaller amounts, but deeper.

This is the kind of record that you'd buy to play,
but not because it looked that great. Still, the flaws should be mostly cosmetic,
with nothing too deep that would ruin the overall record.

Examples include a record that has been kept for a while in a
cover without the paper sleeve, or heavily played by a previous owner
and has some marks across the surface. The record should play okay,
though probably with surface noise.

Good + (plus)

Vinyl may be dirty, or have one outstanding flaw,
such as a light residue, which could be difficult to clean.

May have marks on all parts, too many to qualify as Very Good-,
or several deeper marks, but the record should still be ok for play without skips.

In general, this is a record that was played a fair amount,
and handled without care. A typical example may be a record which has
been heavily played by a DJ, and carries marks from slip cueing.
Depending on the quality of the vinyl, may play with surface noise throughout.

Good

A record that you'd buy to play, cheap, but which you wouldn't buy for collecting.

Will have marks across all parts of the playing surface,
and will most likely play with surface noise throughout.
May have some other significant flaws, such as residue, or a track that skips.

In most cases, a poor quality copy of a very difficult to find record.

Fair

This is a grade we rarely use, as we try not to sell records
in very bad condition, though in some rare cases we will list a
record in such bad shape that it does not conform to the standards above.
A "Fair" record will have enough marks or significant flaws that it
does not even qualify as "Good", but is a copy you might consider
for playing, if you're willing to put up with noise and/or flaws.
An example might be a recording with surface noise so heavy that
it is equal to the volume of the music. For records listed as "Fair",
we will describe the extent of the condition in the comments.

Poor

Like "Fair", we rarely list records in this condition,
as they represent the extreme low end of spectrum.
These records typically have multiple serious problems,
and we offer them as "relics" or "objects" only — for
those who want to at least have a copy of a record,
even if it is not really worthy of play, perhaps for the cover alone.
For these records, we will describe the extent of the condition in the comments.

Additional Marks & Notes

If something is noteworthy, we try to note it in the comments — especially
if it is an oddity that is the only wrong thing about the record.
This might include, but isn't limited to, warped records, tracks that skip,
cover damage or wear as noted above, or strictly cosmetic flaws.

Used CD Grade

We have only one grade for non-new CDs at Dusty Groove — "Used CD".
This grade is somewhat all-encompassing, but we choose it because we try to offer
Used CDs in the best shape possible.

When you purchase a Used CD you can expect the disc to be free of all but the
lightest of surface marks, the case to be clean (we often change the cases ourselves),
and the booklet to be in good shape.
Used CDs may show some signs of use but if there are significant details or
defects we will list them underneath the item — just like we do with LPs —
so look there for notes on cutout marks, stickers, promo stamps or other details.

All of our Used CDs are guaranteed to play without skipping or flaws.
If you purchase a Used CD from Dusty Groove, you have 1 week to play it to determine
that it plays correctly —
and if it does not, then you may return it for a full refund.

You might be interested

Various

A really well-done collection of the many DJ talents who recorded for Studio One over the years – one that gets past the obvious hits to include a stunning array of really varied voices! As you might know, in Jamaican music, the term "DJ" refers not just to someone spinning records ... LP, Vinyl record album

Various

A fantastic collection that looks at the relationship between American soul and reggae in a very unique way – not the early crossovers of soul and rocksteady in the 60s, but a big wave of disco-inspired sounds in the 70s! The set brings together some great Jamaican and British versions of ... LP, Vinyl record album

Sugar Minott

Seminal sounds from the mighty Sugar Minott – a singer who's sweet-voiced style was perfect for the changes going on at Studio One in the late 70s! Sugar grew up on the soulful styles of the rocksteady years – and here, as Studio One begins to step into some dancehall modes, his vocals ... LP, Vinyl record album

Impact All Stars

Pivotal early dub! Depending upon whose history of the Jamaican recording industry you subscribe to, this is can be considered by many to be the first dub LP – and whether that's proveable or not, it's certain among the first! History aside, it's a mighty set with some raw early dub style ... LP, Vinyl record album

Maytals

Stunning early work from one of our favorite reggae groups ever – the mighty Toots & The Maytals, a key link between the soul styles of the Jamaican scene of the 60s, and the righteous years to come! There's a groove to the Maytals music that nobody else seems to get this right – ... LP, Vinyl record album

Upsetters

Seminal early dub work from Lee Scratch Perry – an album recorded in the same stretch as Blackboard Jungle Dub and Cloak & Dagger – but a record that's much more obscure than those two classics! That obscurity is no reflection on quality, though – as Rhythm Shower is superb, ... LP, Vinyl record album

Lee Perry & The Upsetters

An early moment of genius from the legendary Lee Perry – and a set that uses Django imagery from Italian westerns to serve up a "bad boy" version of Jamaican music for the late 60s! Even at this early point, the sounds are mindblowing – rocksteady brought through a really ... LP, Vinyl record album

Tommy McCook & the Supersonics

Fantastic grooves from Tommy McCook & The Supersonics – exactly the kind of record that shows why the group were one of the hippest combos on the Kingston scene of the late 60s! Production is by Duke Reid, who keeps a nice badass vibe to the whole thing – letting bits of funk creep ... LP, Vinyl record album

Morwell Unlimited

Blacka Morwell serves up some massive dub here – working at Channel 1, for an obscure album on Trojan Records – but maybe coming across with some of the richness of the Island Records generation! There's a fullness to the sound that's wonderful – top-to-bottom completely solid, ... LP, Vinyl record album

Desmond Dekker & The Aces

The legendary debut LP from Desmond Dekker & The Aces – trailblazing recordings that are masterfully laid the groundwork for the international ska scene, popularizing the rude boy style and paving the way for coming reggae phenomenon that was still years down the road! Desmond Dekker's ... LP, Vinyl record album

Dandy (Dandy Livingstone)

Dandy Livingstone steps off the plane on the cover – but the music inside is a key example of the work he was doing overseas – as Dandy produced the whole set of recordings in the late 60s London scene, where he was serving as a key bridge between that city and Kingston – as part ... LP, Vinyl record album